New Delhi: At a time when rumours are making rounds that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may take the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) out of the country, in a major development, the decision-makers in the Board are reportedly divided 3-2 when it comes to the venue for […]

New Delhi: At a time when rumours are making rounds that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may take the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) out of the country, in a major development, the decision-makers in the Board are reportedly divided 3-2 when it comes to the venue for the league. While the matter is heavily tilted in favour of hosting the league in the country, there are a couple of voices which want to take it outside if needed.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that while the general thought is that having the league in India will mean that the country has come out of the clutches of the coronavirus pandemic, there are a few who feel that if the situation demands, the league can be taken to places outside India.

“See, it is a case of the decision makers being divided 3-2 if that is how you wish to understand the current scenario. Without going into the names of who said what, all I can tell you is that the general feeling is that having the league in India would not only be a sign of positivity amongst the people of the country, but will also help as we will not need to travel abroad and act to a fresh set of guidelines.

“But then, there are a couple of voices who also feel that having the tournament should be the priority and if that means taking it out of the country, so be it. So, while we are working on the overall plan, the venue is an area which will need further deliberation. Also, at the end of the day safety of the players and everyone involved is priority,” the official explained.

An official of a franchise echoed the sentiments and said that priority should always be having the tournament in the country. “See, if you have the league in the country, it is a positive signal to not just the world, but also to the people in India that we have managed to get back to normalcy. Also, the expenses go up quite a bit if you go outside. So, for us and I think for most of the teams, India would be the preferred choice,” the official told IANS.

Players across the globe have been vocal about looking forward to playing the IPL now that it is almost certain that Cricket Australia (as per their mail to the ICC) is not in a position to host the World T20 in October-November as per initial schedule.

Speaking to IANS, India and Chennai Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar said that he was hoping to kickstart the cricketing season with the T20 league.

“We will need to slowly get back into the groove and I believe that IPL could be the perfect vehicle for us to return to cricketing action. It helps that we have a lot of games and that gets you into the rhythm. If you make a player play an ODI or Test immediately after the break, the body might break down due to the load. Like when you hit the gym, you don’t do a 100kg bench press to start with.

“Similarly, playing the IPL will help not just the bowlers, but all cricketers as the level of competition you get here is top-class. But we do need a proper camp before the IPL starts so that we can get back into the groove after this phase away from the game,” he pointed.

India and Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Kuldeep Yadav had also said that he was really looking forward to playing in the IPL.

“Of course I am very excited. I have heard that the IPL may happen this year as the T20 World Cup may get pushed. I am all set and very excited for IPL because I will get to play after a long break. IPL is a tough tournament and if it happens this year I will give my best. IPL will also give us confidence for the forthcoming Australia series. So yes I am all excited and I am looking forward to it,” he had said.

New Delhi: The Asian Football Confederation has granted All India Football Federation (AIFF) the rights to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 finals. The decision was taken at the AFC Women’s Football Committee. In a letter to AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das, AFC General Secretary Dato Windsor John wrote: “The Committee awarded the hosting […]

New Delhi: The Asian Football Confederation has granted All India Football Federation (AIFF) the rights to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 finals. The decision was taken at the AFC Women’s Football Committee.

In a letter to AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das, AFC General Secretary Dato Windsor John wrote: “The Committee awarded the hosting rights of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 finals to the All India Football Federation.”

Praful Patel, President of AIFF in his message said: “I need to thank the Asian Football Confederation for finding us suitable to host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2022.”

“The tournament will galvanise the aspiring women players and bring in a holistic social revolution as far as women’s football in the country is concerned.”

India are slated to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup from February 17-March 7 next year. The AIFF had earlier organised the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. Furthermore, India had also hosted the AFC U-16 Championship in 2016.

“The tournament will play a huge role in further popularising women’s football in India. The Women’s Asian Cup 2022 comes on the back of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and will help us sustain, and build on the momentum gained,” Das said.

“Development of women’s football stays one of our foremost priorities. I need to thank the AFC for granting us the rights and urge all stakeholders to work together for the successful organisation of the mega event.” he added.

New Delhi: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh seems to have landed himself into trouble following a casteist remark that he made during a live chat recently. With no cricket being played due to coronavirus pandemic, former and current players have been keeping themselves busy by engaging with fans on social media platforms. Yuvraj stirred up […]

New Delhi: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh seems to have landed himself into trouble following a casteist remark that he made during a live chat recently.

With no cricket being played due to coronavirus pandemic, former and current players have been keeping themselves busy by engaging with fans on social media platforms.

Yuvraj stirred up the hornet’s nest after he made a casteist remark towards former India teammate Yuzvendra Chahal while having an online conversation with current white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma.

“Ye b****i logon ko koi kaam nahi hai Yuzi ko… Yuzi ko dekha kaisa video daala (these people like Yuzi don’t have anything to do… did you see what kind of video Yuzi shared),” Yuvraj was heard as saying during his live Instagram chat with Rohit.

“Maine usko woi bola ki apne baap ko nacha raha hai tu pagal to nahi hai (I asked him has he gone mad that he is making his father dance),” replied Rohit.

Dalit activist and advocate Rajat Kalsan has filed a police complaint against former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh for using a ‘casteist slur’ to refer to his former teammate Yuzvendra Chahal. The complaint has been registered with Hisar police in Haryana. The incident took place back in April during a live session with Rohit Sharma. The incident has also enraged citizens across the country as they criticised the veteran cricketer for his remarks on social media.

The complaint register alleges that the cricketer’s remarks were intentional and degrades and defames the Dalit community. The complainant has also alleged that the remarks were meant to provoke the community in an attempt to create unrest hurting social sentiments of the country. “I request you to press appropriate charges against Yuvraj Singh and arrest him,” the written complaint to Hisar police read.

Social media users took note of this video and a short clip from the actual interaction between the duo went viral, with many asking for Yuvraj to apologise. The hashtag Yuvraj_Maafi_Maango (Yuvraj Singh apologise) also started trending on Twitter.

Earlier, Yuvraj, along with former teammate Harbjahan Singh, was heavily criticised by social media users for supporting former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s NGO.

The duo, however, made it clear later that they don’t have anything to do with Afridi anymore following his inflammatory remarks against India Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mumbai: A 15-year-old pregnant elephant fell victim to an inhumane act after a pineapple filled with powerful firecrackers offered by a man exploded in her mouth. This inhumane incident has drawn a lot of attention within the sports community. Sportspersons from all around the world are taking to social media platforms to voice their anger […]

Mumbai: A 15-year-old pregnant elephant fell victim to an inhumane act after a pineapple filled with powerful firecrackers offered by a man exploded in her mouth. This inhumane incident has drawn a lot of attention within the sports community. Sportspersons from all around the world are taking to social media platforms to voice their anger on the barbaric nature of the crime.

Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma on Thursday said it was heartbreaking to hear about the death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala, adding that no animal deserves to be treated with cruelty.

“We are savages. Are we not learning? To hear what happened to the elephant in Kerala was heartbreaking. No animal deserves to be treated with cruelty,” Rohit said on his official Twitter handle.

Several sportspersons, including the likes of Virat Kohli, Saina Nehwal, Sunil Chhetri and others, have expressed shock and anguish over the incident.

Former England batsman and animal activist Kevin Pietersen has expressed his ‘disgust’ over the inhuman incident where a pregnant elephant was fed pineapple stuffed with firecrackers in Kerala.

“DISGUSTED with the images I’ve been sent from India overnight over the senseless brutality of this mummy elephant. Why would someone do this?!?! Just why?!?” Pietersen posted on Instagram with photos of the dastardly incident.

India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said on Twitter: “We need to be a lot better in the way we treat these innocent creatures. Really ashamed of this cruel act and hope this makes everyone realize the importance of being kind towards animals and act like a human.”

On Wednesday, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli was among several sportspersons who took to social media to express shock over the incident.

Appalled to hear about what happened in Kerala. Let’s treat our animals with love and bring an end to these cowardly acts. pic.twitter.com/3oIVZASpag

Star shuttler Saina Nehwal condemned the act by replying to People For Animals India’s post on the brutality. “So sad to know this,” Saina said.

Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri called the perpetrators of this as “monsters”.

She was a harmless, pregnant Elephant. That makes the people who did what they did, monsters and I hope so hard that they pay a price. We keep failing nature over and over again. Remind me how we’re the more evolved species?

The Kerala Forest Department has launched a ‘manhunt’ for those responsible for the death of the elephant.

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar also took to Twitter on Thursday and said: “Central government has taken a very serious note of the killing of an elephant in Mallapuram, Kerala. We will not leave any stone unturned to investigate properly and nab the culprit(s). This is not an Indian culture to feed firecrackers and kill.”

The incident has attracted huge condemnation on social media, where various posts showed the mother elephant saying it was her fault to trust the human race, while the unborn child in her womb kept asking: “What is my fault, Ma?”

Meanwhile, World Championship medallists Rahul Aware and Olympic-bound Deepak Punia were nominated for the Arjuna award alongside Sakshi Malik and two others by the national federation WFI.

Vinesh, the only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Tokyo Games, was an easy pick but surprisingly the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has sent as many as five applications for Arjuna and four each for Dronacharya and Dhyanchand awards.

Though Sakshi Malik has not much to show in the last three years, the WFI chose not to reject her candidature. Leave aside dishing out strong performances, the Rio Olympic bronze winner is struggling to even get past juniors in her category.

World silver winner Deepak Punia, making a transition from junior to senior circuit, and Rahul Aware, who won a bronze in Nur Sultan, are deserving candidates.

However, the WFI also nominated Sandeep Tomar and Greco Roman wrestler Naveen. It’s a surprising decision since their applications, like Sakshi, are not backed by performance. She is already a recipient of Khel Ratna (2016).

Asked about the wholesale nominations, WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar said, “We have returned a few applications as well. The committee would scrutinise all applications, we have done what, as federation, we could have done for wrestlers.”

The WFI has nominated Virender Kumar, who has been credited for shaping the career of Deepak Punia and Ravi Dahiya, another world medallist, for the Dronacharya along with national women’s coach Kuldeep Malik.

Kuldeep is a long-serving coach, who oversees the national camp in Lucknow. He has been credited for the rise of Sakshi.

O P Yadav, a SAI coach, and Sujit Mann have also been nominated for Dronacharya.

A panel formed by the Sports Ministry will shortlist the nominations received from various national federations with the awards to be presented on National Sports Day, August 29.

Manika, who missed out on India’s highest sporting honour last year, is the first woman paddler from her country to win a singles gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. She achieved the feat in the 2018 edition in which she won as many four medals including two gold medal.

In the same edition held in Gold Coast, the 24-year-old had led India to its first-ever women’s team gold at the Commonwealth Games. Five months later, the current world number 63 created more history by winning a mixed doubles bronze alongside Sharath Kamal at the Asian Games in Jakarta.

“We feel she deserves the honour and that is why decided to nominate her for the second time,” TTFI secretary general M P Singh told PTI.

The federation has recommended veteran Madhurika Patkar, Manav Thakkar and Suthirtha Mukherjee for the Arjuna Award. Mukherjee recently broke into the top-100 of the ITTF world rankings.

Coaches Jayanta Pushilal and S Raman have been nominated for the Dronacharya honour.

A panel formed by the Sports Ministry will shortlist the nominations received from various national federations with the awards to be presented on National Sports Day, August 29

Badminton Association of India Recommends For Arjuna Award

India’s top men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and men’s singles player Sameer Verma were on Tuesday recommended for the Arjuna award by the Badminton Association of India (BAI).

The world no. 10 Indian pair are currently the front-runner to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. Satwik and Chirag have made rapid strides in international badminton, having won their maiden Super 500 event at Thailand Open and finishing runners-up at the French Open Super 750 tournament last year.

The duo played a crucial role in earning India the historic gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where they also won the men’s doubles silver.

Sameer, the 2016 Hong Kong Open finalist, didn’t have a stellar run last year but he was in sizzling form in 2018, winning three titles to reach a career-best ranking of world no. 11. His dazzling run also earned him a place in the BWF World Tour Finals 2018, where he reached the semi-finals.

Besides, the BAI also recommended renowned National Institute of Sports (NIS)-certified coaches — S Murlidharan and Bhaskar Babu — for the Dronacharya Award.

Murlidharan has coached the likes of Vimal Kumar, Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas among many other renowned former players, immensely contributing to the growth and development of the sport.

He has also been a recipient of the Meritorious Service Award given by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) in 1996.

Former Indian coach, Babu has trained the likes of Chetan Anand, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap at the SAI, Hyderabad Centre. He is now working with young badminton players in Secunderabad.

For the Dhyanchand Award, the national federation has recommended Pradeep Gandhe and Manjusha Kanwar.

Gandhe is a two-time Asian Games bronze medallist. He had moved into administration of the sport after retiring and also served as Maharashtra Badminton Association (MBA) president.

South Asian Games silver medallist and CWG team bronze medallist, Manjusha Kanwar had a flourishing career in the domestic circuit winning multiple National Championships titles.

She now promotes sportspersons in her current role as a Sports Promoter with Indian Oil.

“BAI has diligently assessed the performances of the athletes and coaches during the last four years before sending the names to the Sports Ministry for the recommendation,” the BAI said in a release.

New Delhi: Hockey India on Tuesday nominated national women’s team captain Rani Rampal for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award while Vandana Kataria, Monika and Harmanpreet Singh were recommended for the Arjuna Award. For the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement, the federation has recommended former India stalwarts R P Singh and Tushar […]

New Delhi: Hockey India on Tuesday nominated national women’s team captain Rani Rampal for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award while Vandana Kataria, Monika and Harmanpreet Singh were recommended for the Arjuna Award.

For the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement, the federation has recommended former India stalwarts R P Singh and Tushar Khandker.

Coaches B J Kariappa and Romesh Pathania have been nominated for the Dronacharya Award.

The period of consideration for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour, is between January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019.

During this period, Rani led the team to historic victories in the Women’s Asia Cup in 2017, silver at the 2018 Asian Games and played a critical role in the FIH Olympic Qualifiers in 2019 by scoring the deciding goal that helped India qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

The team also climbed to a career-best ninth the FIH world rankings.

Rani, who is the first Indian to be named as the World Games Athlete of The Year, has also been the recipient of the Arjuna Award (2016) and Padma Shri (2020).

India striker Vandana, with over 200 international caps, and Monika, with 150 national appearances, have been recommended for the Arjuna Award.

They both played key roles in the team’s sensational wins in 2019 including the FIH Series Finals in Hiroshima, Tokyo 2020 Olympics Test Event and the Olympic Qualifiers in Bhubaneswar.

The Indian men’s team dragflick specialist, Harmanpreet Singh, is also in the short-list for the Arjuna nominees. He was instrumental in the team’s winning performance in the FIH Series Finals in Odisha.

At the 2020 Olympics Test Event, he captained the team to victory in the absence of Manpreet Singh who was rested for the tournament.

Harmanpreet was also a part of the Indian team that won the Olympic Qualifiers against Russia last year.

Former India stars Dr RP Singh and Khandker’s continued contribution in the field of hockey has led to their recommendation for the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Kariappa, who has been nominated for the Dronacharya Award, has coached the Indian junior men’s team to a silver at the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2019.

Speaking on the recommendations for the National Awards, Hockey India President Mohd Mustaque Ahmad said: “Sardar Singh was the last hockey player to win the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

“Rani has set new benchmarks in women’s hockey and we feel she is very deserving of the top award.”

A panel formed by the Sports Ministry will shortlist the nominations received from various national federations with the awards to be presented on National Sports Day, August 29.

New Delhi: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Sunday announced that he and his fiance, Serbian actress Natasa Stankovic, are expecting their first child. Hardik made this announcement on popular social media platform Instagram, along with their pictures, which went viral instantly. Hardik’s Instagram post read: “Natasa and I had a great journey together and it […]

New Delhi: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Sunday announced that he and his fiance, Serbian actress Natasa Stankovic, are expecting their first child.

Hardik made this announcement on popular social media platform Instagram, along with their pictures, which went viral instantly.

Hardik’s Instagram post read: “Natasa and I had a great journey together and it is just about to get better. Together we are excited to welcome a new life into our lives very soon. We’re thrilled for this new phase of our life and seek your blessings and wishes.”

Earlier this year, Hardik had announced his engagement to Natasa via social media as well. On January 1, Hardik had himself shared an image of him proposing to Natasa on social media and had captioned it: “Mai tera, Tu meri jaane, saara Hindustan. 01.01.2020 #engaged.”

The news of India all-rounder Hardik’s engagement to Natasa was not just a surprise for his fans, but also for some of the members in the Indian team.

New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is set to launch Khelo India e-Pathshala in association with National Sports Federations on June 1. The programme is “India’s first-ever national-level open online coaching and education programme for grassroots-level athletes,” according to a statement from SAI. “In its second phase, scheduled to start soon, the programme […]

New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is set to launch Khelo India e-Pathshala in association with National Sports Federations on June 1.

The programme is “India’s first-ever national-level open online coaching and education programme for grassroots-level athletes,” according to a statement from SAI.

“In its second phase, scheduled to start soon, the programme will reach out to development-level athletes as well,” it said.

“The massive online session is being launched with the aim of educating young athletes who have not been able to train in their academies in the past few weeks due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.

“Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda will inaugurate the programme through a webinar on June 1 at 9 a.m. A session that will be attended by archers, archery coaches and experts of the discipline.”

The programme, SAI says, will cover 21 sporting disciplines. “The e-learning programme will see eminent athletes demonstrating technical skills and speaking to young athletes about techniques to improve their game. The programme will also be lead by a committee of eminent coaches and observed by a committee of Sports Scientist, High-Performance Directors and High-Performance Managers, who will give their on-ground feedback about the course,” it further stated.

New Delhi: India’s prolific limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma was on Saturday nominated for the prestigious ‘Khel Ratna’ award by the BCCI for his stupendous performance in 2019 when he dazzled with five hundreds in the 50-over World Cup. Rohit’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma, the most-capped Test cricketer in the current set-up, have […]

New Delhi: India’s prolific limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma was on Saturday nominated for the prestigious ‘Khel Ratna’ award by the BCCI for his stupendous performance in 2019 when he dazzled with five hundreds in the 50-over World Cup.

Rohit’s opening partner Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma, the most-capped Test cricketer in the current set-up, have been nominated for the Arjuna Award.

In the women’s section, Deepti Sharma got BCCI nomination for her consistent show across formats in the last three years.

The PTI on May 13 had reported about Dhawan and Deepti’s likely nominations for the Arjuna award.

Dhawan was in fact nominated in 2018 alongside Smriti Mandhana but missed out on the award.

As skipper Virat Kohli has got the highest sporting honour, Rohit with his magnificent white-ball record over the years was an automatic choice. having scored 9115 runs in 224 ODIs with 29 hundreds and 43 fifties.

He also has 2141 runs in 32 Tests with six hundreds and 10 fifties. In 108 T20 Internationals, the 33-year-old has scored 2773 runs with four hundreds apart from being ICC’s ‘Cricketer of the Year’.

“We went through a lot of data and considered various parameters before shortlisting the nominees. Rohit Sharma has set new benchmarks as a batsman and achieved scores people thought were not possible in the shorter formats of the game,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, referring to his three double hundreds in 50-over cricket.

“We feel he is worthy of getting the prestigious Khel Ratna award for his commitment, conduct, consistency and his leadership skills,” Ganguly added.

Secretary Jay Shah termed Rohit as perfect “teamman” who led well in absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli.

“In the last five years, Rohit Sharma has not only raised the bar with his individual performances but has also led the Indian team with distinction in Virat Kohli’s absence,” Shah was quoted as saying in a BCCI press release.

For 31-year-old Ishant, it was a long wait to earn the nomination as he is the senior-most member in the current Test set-up with 97 Tests under his belt apart from 80 ODIs and 14 T20Is.

Ishant has 297 Test wickets under his belt and by the end of the year is expected to be second pacer in the country after Kapil Dev to complet 100 Test matches.

“Fast bowlers are prone to injuries and Ishant has had a fair share of them but he has fought hard to be back on the park every time,” Ganguly commented on his nomination.

The 34-year-old Dhawan holds the record for the fastest Test century on debut and is the only batsman in the world to have won two consecutive golden bats (for most runs) in the ICC Champions Trophy.

He is also the quickest Indian batsman to reach 2000 and 3000 runs in ODIs and second-fastest Indian to score 4000 and 5000 runs in ODIs.

The 24-year-old Deepti has already played 54 ODIs and 48 T20 Internationals for the country. She also holds the record of highest individual score by an Indian woman in ODIs – 188. She has so far scored 1840 international runs and taken 117 wickets across two formats.

AFI Recommends Neeraj Chopra For Khel Ratna

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was on Saturday recommended for the coveted Khel Ratna Award by the committee constituted by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the third time in a row.

The 22-year-old Chopra is the only track and field athlete to be recommended by the AFI for the country’s highest sports award this year.

Chopra has already being conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2018 after winning a gold in the Gold Coast Commonwealth. In that year, he was also recommended for the Khel Ratna. He was again recommended for the Khel Ratna last year after winning gold in the 2018 Asian Games.

“Neeraj is the only athlete recommended by the awards committee for the Khel Ratna this year,” a source told PTI.

The Khel Ratna Award carries a medallion, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Top sprinter Dutee Chand, who won a gold in the World University Games in 2019 and two silver medals in the 2018 Asian Games (one each in 100m and 200m), has already been recommended for the Arjuna Award by the Odisha government.

Chopra has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.86m in South Africa in January in his first competition after recovering from an elbow injury.

He missed the entire 2019 season due to the injury but breached the Olympic qualification mark of 85m.

In 2019, Neeraj had missed the IAAF World Championships, the Diamond League and the Asian Championships while recovering from the injury.

His last major international competition was the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games where he won gold with a national record of 88.06m. He had undergone a surgery in May 2019 to treat the injury.

New Delhi: Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team, remained the only Indian and sole cricketer to feature in the top 100 of highest-paid athletes of 2020 put forward by Forbes magazine. With an estimated total earning of $26 million ($24m from endorsements and $2m from salary/winnings), Virat Kohli has made a jump of […]

New Delhi: Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team, remained the only Indian and sole cricketer to feature in the top 100 of highest-paid athletes of 2020 put forward by Forbes magazine.

With an estimated total earning of $26 million ($24m from endorsements and $2m from salary/winnings), Virat Kohli has made a jump of more than 30 places from 2019 and is at the 66th spot in the list. In 2019 too, the ace batsman was the only Indian to feature in top 100 (at 100th place) of the Forbes’ list with estimated earnings of $25 million.

Meanwhile, Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer became the first from the sport to top Forbes’ list of highest paid athletes. With an estimated $106.3 million earned over the past 12 months, the Swiss maestro edged out Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo from the top spot.

The three athletes immediately below Federer are all football players with Ronaldo on second with estimated earnings of $105 million. Ronaldo’s arch rival Lionel Messi is third with an estimated $104 million while Brazil’s Neymar comes fourth with $95.5 million.

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka is the highest paid female athlete with $37.4 million. She however comes only 29th in the overall rankings. US tennis great Serena Williams comes 33rd with $36 million.

The factors that went into Forbes’ calculation were athletes’ revenue, including prize money, salaries, contract bonuses, endorsements, royalties, and appearance fees from June 1, 2019, until June 1, 2020.

London: The English Premier League season will resume on June 17 with Aston Villa taking on Sheffield United and Manchester City locking horns with Arsenal in the big game, as per a BBC report. All four teams have a game in hand and these two fixtures were still to be played when the league stopped. […]

London: The English Premier League season will resume on June 17 with Aston Villa taking on Sheffield United and Manchester City locking horns with Arsenal in the big game, as per a BBC report.

All four teams have a game in hand and these two fixtures were still to be played when the league stopped.

A full fixture list would be played on the weekend of June 19-21, the report said.

Premier League teams had on Wednesday given their approval to begin contact training as England move a step forward in resuming its top-tier football league. All football in the country has been suspended since March due to coronavirus pandemic.

The players returned to individual and small group training last week as officials continue to target mid-June as a possible return date for resumption of matches.

Meanwhile, two players from Fulham tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of results that the English Football League Championship club announced on Thursday.

Tests were carried out on 1,030 players and staff between Monday and Wednesday, the EFL said. Apart from the two Fulham players, only one more positive test has come thus far. The EFL hopes for a resumption of the season next month.

Earlier, four more positive tests came from the Premier League, raising the total number to 12 across the league.

The four cases have come from three clubs, with the league not announcing the names of those who tested positive for COVID-19.

Italy’s Serie A to resume from June 20

Nearly 12 weeks after Italy’s top football league played its final games before the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown entered into force, the Italian government has given Serie A the nod to restart play on June 20.

The decision, announced by Minister of Sport Vincenzo Spadafora after less than an hour of virtual discussions with officials from the Italian Football Federation and representatives of Serie A, players, coaches, and referees on Thursday, comes after weeks of contentious talks and widespread media speculation on the topic, reports Xinhua news agency.

“Italy is reopening (and) it is correct that the football season should restart as well,” Spadafora told reporters.

Earlier this month, 16 of 20 Serie A teams voted to restart play on June 13, with four teams voting for a June 20 start. But that vote was contingent on health and safety protocols for players and fans and in the end, the latter date was selected because it took so long to agree to those protocols.

The agree-to rules mean teams will play in front of nearly empty stands and widespread COVID-19 testing for players and officials. If any player tests positive for the coronavirus, everyone who came in contact with that player will immediately be quarantined.

Other football leagues in Italy, including lower divisions like Serie B and Serie C as well as the Serie A for women, will also restart, though at a later date.

Spadafora warned that if data on the coronavirus infection rate in Italy, which has improved dramatically since mid-April, worsens, the season could be halted again.

“Should the rate of COVID-19 infection start to increase again, something that we are hoping won’t happen, activities will have to be suspended once more,” Spadafora underlined.

“However, the FIGC has assured me that a Plan B and a Plan C are in place where either play-offs and play-outs or the existing table will be used.”

New Delhi: The much-delayed 36th National Games, scheduled for October-November in Goa, was on Thursday postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) recently asked the Goa government to host the National Games as scheduled from October 20 to November 4 this year. However, a spurt in the number of novel […]

New Delhi: The much-delayed 36th National Games, scheduled for October-November in Goa, was on Thursday postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) recently asked the Goa government to host the National Games as scheduled from October 20 to November 4 this year.

However, a spurt in the number of novel coronavirus cases has led to a postponement.

“The National Games organising committee has decided to postpone National Games due to COVID-19 pandemic,” Goa’s deputy chief minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar, who also holds the sports portfolio, was quoted as saying in a statement shared by IOA President Narinder Batra.

“… Committee to hold meeting in September end and decide on fixing dates for National Games. (Goa) Government to take advice from Union Sports Ministry, need four months advance notice to organise games,” Ajgaonkar’s statement added.

The previous edition of the Games was held back in 2015 in Kerala.

The upcoming Games, facing uncertainty for long, was originally scheduled for November 2018 but was postponed to April 2019. However, due to the general election, the government of Goa ordered another cancellation.

With the Games infrastructure nearing completion, the postponement is set to bring in big losses to the state government.

Last month, it had sought clarification from the Indian Olympic Association over the fate of the Games in the wake of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak has brought all sporting activities to a grinding halt worldwide.

In India, major events like the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been postponed indefinitely and some tournaments cancelled.

There was hope for the Games to go ahead as scheduled as the state was marked in the green zone for quite a while.

But a sudden spurt has proved to be decisive.

Goa has so far reported 68 confirmed cases for the novel coronavirus.

There were concerns about athletes coming here from other states, including the ones badly affected by the pandemic.

Batra had earlier expressed optimism that the National Games will go ahead as per the schedule and will provide a perfect preparatory platform for the Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian athletes.

IOA joint secretary Namdev Shirgaonkar, who is also the vice president of Maharashtra Olympic Association, too had felt the Games should happen this year.

]]>36th National Games, Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic, COVID19, lockdown, National Games, National Games 2020, National Games Postponed2020-05-28 20:33:55https://img.odishatv.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/National-Games-2020.jpgCricket Australia Announces Full International Summer Schedule Including India Serieshttps://odishatv.in/sports/cricket-australia-announces-full-international-summer-schedule-including-india-series-454005
Thu, 28 May 2020 12:56:16 +0000https://odishatv.in/?p=454005

Melbourne: Cricket Australia on Thursday announced their fixtures for the summer of 2020-21. The elaborate schedule, including fixtures for men and women, consists of the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia. Kevin Roberts, Cricket Australia CEO, however, has warned that the schedule will be subject to change and remains flexible depending on the constantly […]

Melbourne: Cricket Australia on Thursday announced their fixtures for the summer of 2020-21. The elaborate schedule, including fixtures for men and women, consists of the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia.

Kevin Roberts, Cricket Australia CEO, however, has warned that the schedule will be subject to change and remains flexible depending on the constantly evolving coronavirus situation and the government regulations at the time.

“While acknowledging the difficulty in navigating a global pandemic, we are nonetheless encouraged by the progress Australia is making in combatting the coronavirus and the positive impact that is having on our ability to host an exciting summer of cricket in 2020-21,” Roberts said in an official media release.

“We know that circumstances or events beyond our control could mean that the final schedule potentially may look different to the one released today, but we’ll be doing everything we can to get as much international cricket in as possible this summer. We will communicate any changes to the schedule if or when they are required.

“We are engaged in ongoing discussions with federal and state governments, our venues and the touring nations to continually understand and monitor the situation in front of us, which is evolving every day. We’ll continue to act in accordance with public health advice and government protocols to ensure the safety of the public, players and support staff,” he added.

India’s tour of Australia begins with three T20Is to be played on October 11, 14 and 17. Sandwiched between India’s T20I series in October and Test series in December, is a one-off day-night Test between Afghanistan and Australia in Perth from November 21-25.

After that, India will begin the defence of the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Brisbane which will host the first Test at the Gabba from December 3-7, followed by second in Adelaide (December 11-15), third in Melbourne (December 26-30) and fourth — a day/night affair — in Sydney from January 3-7.

The Test series will be followed by three-match ODI series from January 12 to 17.

India women will also travel to Australia to play a three-ODI series from January 22 to 28.

The Australian summer will start with the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe from August 9 to 14. After that, Australia women will play three T20Is and as many ODIs against New Zealand from September 27 to October 10.

Then, the Australian men’s team will play a three-match T20I series against the West Indies from October 4 to 9.

Later towards January end and early February, Australia and New Zealand will play three ODIs and a T20I against each other from January 26 to February 2.

“We will not rush any decisions however it’s crucial for us all to have a blueprint to work from to deliver cricket safely,” said Roberts.

New Delhi: On papers, the ICC vs BCCI tax battle seems to have taken a murky turn after the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) refused to hand the Indian board an extension in finding a tax solution. The ICC has in fact threatened that they can take away the 2021 T20 World Cup if the board […]

New Delhi: On papers, the ICC vs BCCI tax battle seems to have taken a murky turn after the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) refused to hand the Indian board an extension in finding a tax solution. The ICC has in fact threatened that they can take away the 2021 T20 World Cup if the board fails to provide the exemption. But BCCI officials believe that prudent ICC Directors will not take any step that hurts the game.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that the Indian board has full faith in the directors of the international body and believe that they will not commit harakiri by taking the global event away from India.

“It is not the ICC, but some vested interests that come up with this story from time to time. Most of the ICC Directors are prudent and pragmatic and they would not permit these vested interests to lead the ICC down the path of harakiri. If they take this step, I assure you that the BCCI would still be laughing when the pieces fall, but the ICC would be worse for the wear,” the official said.

“It is time for the ICC to move away from people who merely bring disputes with BCCI to the table and nothing else in terms of contribution. Anyone propped by such people will also be unacceptable.”

Earlier, a BCCI official in the know of developments said that it is sad that at a time when the world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic, such emails have come in and there is an attempt to put the Indian board under pressure.

“I fail to understand how this is happening at this time when everyone is coming to grips with the pandemic. This is a complete and total failure of the ICC leadership and is a clear indication that change is imminent,” the official said.

The BCCI was needed to throw light on the tax exemption issue 18 months before the 2021 T20 World Cup which meant the deadline was April. But the world has been under lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak and the Indian board has asked for an extension till June 30 or one month post lockdown opening.

Another official said the whole turn of events was surprising to say the least, especially how the ICC said that the IBC refused to agree to an extension.

“Interestingly, their lawyer Jonathan Hall has written that the IBC has rejected BCCI’s request. Now the question is how did this happen without the actual board seeing it and voting for/against it?” he enquired.

In fact, after the ICC CEC meeting in April, one of the executives had spoken about the clarity shown by BCCI secretary Jay Shah and how world cricket needs the Indian board to join hands with the England and Wales Cricket Board and help the member boards out of the economic mess due to the suspension of all cricketing activities because of the coronavirus pandemic.

New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Tuesday started activities in two out of its five stadiums in the national capital after the central government green-lighted resumption of outdoor sports in a phased manner. According to a SAI statement, sporting activities have resumed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium […]

New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Tuesday started activities in two out of its five stadiums in the national capital after the central government green-lighted resumption of outdoor sports in a phased manner.

According to a SAI statement, sporting activities have resumed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium from Tuesday afternoon in slots of one hour which needs to be pre-booked online.

However, activities in Indira Gandhi Stadium and Karni Singh Shooting Range are expected to start in a week’s time as logistics are being worked out.

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex will remain shut as use of swimming pools continue to remain barred in the fourth edition of the coronavirus-forced nationwide lockdown which ends on May 31.

“Detailed guidelines have been made available to the stadia administrator and they have been briefed comprehensively to ensure adherence to government guidelines of health and hygiene,” the government body said in the statement.

While archery, table tennis, badminton and lawn tennis have started in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium initially, activities at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium will depend on available facilities.

“Initially, sporting activities are being started in those disciplines where no contact is required among players and minimal sharing of equipment is needed,” the SAI said.

“In keeping with the guidelines of the government on social distancing and hygiene, it has been decided a maximum of only 50 per cent of sports facilities in various stadia will be made operational to ensure social distancing.

“All stadia have been disinfected and deep sanitized, in keeping with guidelines. Thermal checks and hand sanitization of every athlete and accompanying parents are being done at entry gates. The wearing of masks has been made mandatory,” it added.

The SAI stated that as per the government guidelines only athletes above the age of 10 years can resume sporting activities.

Chandigarh: Three-time Olympic gold medal-winning hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr died here on Monday after battling multiple health issues for over two weeks. He was 96 years old. He is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, Gurbir. “He died at around 6:30 this morning,” Abhijit Singh, Director Fortis Hospital, Mohali, where […]

He was 96 years old. He is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, Gurbir.

“He died at around 6:30 this morning,” Abhijit Singh, Director Fortis Hospital, Mohali, where he was admitted on May 8, told PTI.

He was undergoing treatment at Fortis Mohali and was in a “semi-comatose condition”.

Balbir was hospitalised on May 8 with high fever and breathing trouble. His COVID-19 test came negative.

He was part of the Indian teams that won gold at the 1948 London Olympics, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. His record for most individual goals scored in an Olympic men’s hockey final remains unbeaten.

Balbir had set this record when he scored five goals in India’s 6-1 win over Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Games.

He was the head coach of the Indian team for the 1975 men’s World Cup, which India won and the 1971 men’s World Cup, where India earned a bronze medal. He was also conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri in 1957.

One of the country’s greatest athletes, Balbir Sr was the only Indian among 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee across modern Olympic history.

Meanwhile, the sporting community mourned the death hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr, calling him a rare role model whose achievements will motivate the next generation of athletes.

“Saddened to hear of the demise of one of India’s most celebrated Olympians, Balbir Singh Sr. Athletes and role models such as him come very rarely, and it was an honour to know him, and I hope his example will continue to inspire athletes from around the world!” Bindra tweeted.

Saddened to hear of the demise of one of India’s most celebrated Olympians, Balbir Singh Sr. Athletes and role models such as him come very rarely, and it was an honour to know him, and I hope his example will continue to inspire athletes from around the world!

Former India hockey captains Viren Rasquinha and Sardar Singh also offered their tributes to the former centre-forward, regarded as independent India’s biggest hockey player.

“Very sad to hear of the demise of legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr, 3 time Olympic gold medallist. He was always smiling, so mentally alert and such a thorough gentleman. What a fine role model,” Rasquinha wrote on his twitter handle.

Very sad to hear of the demise of legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr, 3 time Olympic gold medallist. This was from my last meeting with him at Delhi. He was always smiling, so mentally alert and such a thorough gentleman. What a fine role model 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/Sn1wlgdEss

Sardar remembered Singh as someone who always motivated him to achieve laurels for the country.

“It is a very sad for hockey. He was a role model for me and several hockey players in India and abroad. Whenever I used to meet him, he always used to motivate me to win medals for the country,” Sardar told PTI.

“With his death my one life-time wish will always remain unfulfilled now. It was my dream to get a picture clicked with him and his three Olympic gold medals but it is not possible now,” he added.

Another former hockey captain and goalkeeper of current national men’s side, P R Sreejesh and skipper of the women’s team Rani Rampal said the news of his demise was painful.

“I was rather shocked to hear the news of legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr untimely demise. My heart felt condolences to his family. I pray that the almighty gives his family the strength to withstand this tragic moment. May his soul rest in peace. #RIP,” Sreejesh wrote.

I was rather shocked to hear the news of legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr untimely demise. My heart felt condolences to his family. I pray that the almighty gives his family the strength to withstand this tragic moment. May his soul rest in peace. #RIPpic.twitter.com/ynp8LXG1UV

“A doyen of Indian sports Shri Balbir Singh Senior is no more. When you look back at his achievements,you just remain awestruck 3 olympic gold medals,five goals in Olympic final. Manager of World Cup winning team Possibly among India’s greatest sporting icons.May his soul rest RIP,” Harbhajan tweeted.

A doyen of Indian sports Shri Balbir Singh Senior is no more. When you look back at his achievements,you just remain awestruck
3 olympic gold medals,five goals in Olympic final.
Manager of World Cup winning team
Possibly among India’s greatest sporting icons.May his soul rest RIP pic.twitter.com/duSN1LvRWH

Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Balbir Singh Sr ji. An athlete par excellence and a role model beyond words! His bestowed hands may strengthen my passions more. My condolences to his family, friends and fans!#balbirsingh#Balbirhockeypic.twitter.com/figkm8ibBW

Shooter Heena Sidhu added: “My deepest condolences to the family of the legend Balbir Singh ji. I have come close to meeting him so many times but always missed it. I was a big fan and was hoping to get a picture with him one day. Sadly he now resides in our memories only. Till we meet again.”

My deepest condolences to the family of the legend Balbir Singh ji. I have come close to meeting him so many times but always missed it. I was a big fan and was hoping to get a picture with him one day. Sadly he now resides in our memories only. Till we meet again. @BalbirSenior

“Balbir Senior watched the tricolour go up in independent India’s first Olympics in London in 1948 when India beat England 4-0 in the finals. He was a hockey legend. Condolences on his passing,” tweeted Yechury.

Balbir Senior watched the tricolour go up in independent India’s first Olympics in London in 1948 when India beat England 4-0 in the finals. He was a hockey legend. Condolences on his passing. pic.twitter.com/AcqxMAFpi4

Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has published guidelines for the safe resumption of cricket to assist its members in restarting cricket activity in their countries as government restrictions owing to COVID-19 start to relax. As we all look forward to the return of cricket, the ICC has formed guidelines on how to keep safe […]

Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has published guidelines for the safe resumption of cricket to assist its members in restarting cricket activity in their countries as government restrictions owing to COVID-19 start to relax.

As we all look forward to the return of cricket, the ICC has formed guidelines on how to keep safe 🙌

Phase 1️⃣ Solo training 🏃
Phase 2️⃣ Small groups of three or less 🏃 🏃 🏃
Phase 3️⃣ Groups of less than 🔟
Phase 4️⃣ Full squad activities 🏏

“ICC Back to Cricket Guidelines” is a comprehensive document developed by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee in consultation with Member Medical Representatives, and provides guidance for the safe resumption of community cricket, domestic professional cricket and international cricket.

The guidelines do not provide answers to when the game can resume in different parts of the world, rather it provides a framework with practical suggestions on how members can resume cricket in a manner that protects against the risk of transmission of infection with the COVID-19 virus.

The ICC advises its Members to use these guidelines as the basis to create their own policies for return to cricket activity in compliance, in all cases, with local and national government regulations (which should always take precedence) and to ensure the cricket community applies the necessary safety measures when resuming cricket.

Meanwhile, many of the current and former Australian players have themselves said that they don’t see the likelihood of the World T20 happening in October-November as per initial schedule due to the restrictions that have come in due to the coronavirus pandemic, former Australia skipper Allan Border has made it clear that the Indian Premier League (IPL) shouldn’t be given priority over the showpiece event.

New Delhi: India’s limited-overs deputy Rohit Sharma’s style of leadership has often been seen as completely different from skipper Virat Kohli’s style and has often been compared to that of former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. And Suresh Raina believes that Rohit’s calmness and ability to motivate players makes him very similar to Dhoni. “Rohit’s […]

New Delhi: India’s limited-overs deputy Rohit Sharma’s style of leadership has often been seen as completely different from skipper Virat Kohli’s style and has often been compared to that of former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. And Suresh Raina believes that Rohit’s calmness and ability to motivate players makes him very similar to Dhoni.

“Rohit’s captaincy is very similar to MSD. The way he does things calmly, the way he motivates people. He is bindaas, he knows that whenever he goes to bat he’ll make runs. So this sort of confidence is there in a player, then the rest of the players also pick that up from him… this is what I like about Rohit.

“I recently saw in that final against Pune, Rohit made some 2-3 great moves as captain of Mumbai.. in crunch situation the way he made changes between overs on a dry wicket, the way he released pressure then created pressure. Watching that you know that he is taking all these decisions himself. Yes, there must be some advice coming from outside but in his mind, he knows what to do when. No wonder he has won so many trophies as captain,” Raina said on Sportscreen’s YouTube page.

Middle-order batsmen often talk about getting comfortable at a position, but Raina said that he never questioned his batting position or why he was shuffled in the order with Dhoni.

“No, I never questioned him about it. I remember during the 2015 World Cup he sent me higher up the order to bat and I got 70-80 odd in that game. Later that evening I asked him, how and why did you think of sending me that high up and he said because they had two leg-spinners bowling and he knew that I would play them better. Even now I think about those occasions.

“But I know that he (Dhoni) was always thinking one step ahead from us because they guy is standing behind the stumps, watching the entire proceedings, the cameras, the crowds, that man can’t be wrong. He knows how much it is swinging, how much the pitch is turning. God has certainly gifted him with some special ability and that’s why he’s been such a successful leader,” he said.

Asked about BCCI CEO Rahul Johri’s comments on the IPL, Raina said: “I don’t think without foreigners IPL will ever be that interesting. Foreign players have to be there. They bring in experience and challenge of a different kind. Anyway there is the four foreign players in every team rule that exists and with foreign players around one enjoys more and one gets to learn a lot also, as has been the case since the beginning of IPL where top international batsmen and bowlers have been a part of it.”

London: International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach conceded that Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled if it cannot take place next year. The multi-national event was initially set to be hosted in July this year but due to coronavirus pandemic, it will now take place from July 23 till August 8. Earlier, Japan […]

London: International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach conceded that Tokyo Olympics will have to be cancelled if it cannot take place next year. The multi-national event was initially set to be hosted in July this year but due to coronavirus pandemic, it will now take place from July 23 till August 8.

“You cannot forever employ 3,000 to 5,000 people in an organising committee,” Bach was quoted as saying by BBC Sport. “You cannot have the athletes being in uncertainty.”

“There is no blueprint for it so we have to reinvent the wheel day by day. It’s very challenging and at the same time fascinating.”

Currently, sports authorities around the world are looking to play matches behind closed doors as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus. In football, German Bundesliga hosted its matchday 26 in the absence of fans and other leagues are also set to follow suit.

When asked about if Olympics will also be held sans fans, Bach stated they would come to a conclusion only after consultation with World Health Organisation (WHO).

“This is not what we want. Because the Olympic spirit is about also uniting the fans and this is what makes the Games so unique that they’re in an Olympic Stadium, all the fans from all over the world are together,” Bach said.

“But when it then would come to the decision… I would ask you to give me some more time for consultation with the athletes, with the World Health Organisation, with the Japanese partners.”

Earlier, the organising committee’s president had also said that the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be cancelled if the coronavirus pandemic isn’t brought under control by next year.

The pandemic has already forced a year-long delay of the Games, which are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021, but Tokyo 2020 president Yoshiro Mori said no further postponement was possible.

In an interview with Japan’s Nikkan Sports daily, Mori was categorically when asked if the Olympics could be delayed until 2022 if the pandemic remains a threat next year, replying: “No.” “In that case, it’s cancelled,” Mori had said.

New Delhi: The lone athlete to start outdoor training after relaxation in lockdown guidelines, sprinter Dutee Chand only has the “eerie silence” of the stands for company as she tries “to wake” her body up at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The 24-year-old Dutee began outdoor training on Monday after the Odisha government gave permission […]

New Delhi: The lone athlete to start outdoor training after relaxation in lockdown guidelines, sprinter Dutee Chand only has the “eerie silence” of the stands for company as she tries “to wake” her body up at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

The 24-year-old Dutee began outdoor training on Monday after the Odisha government gave permission as per relaxed guidelines for COVID-19 lockdown’s fourth phase, stepping out for the first time on a synthetic track in two months.

She was in Patiala to take part in the season-opening Indian Grand Prix on March 20 but the event got cancelled due to the pandemic and since then Dutee has been confined to her room at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, though she was allowed to use the gym there.

“After two months, I am training outdoors and it is a very nice feeling to experience the air while running on the track. For a track athlete, there is no better feeling than this. At the same time I am also experiencing an unusual feeling,” Dutee told PTI.

“Normally, there are a lot of trainees at the hostels inside the Kalinga Stadium complex but all of them have left for home due to this pandemic. So, I am the only one training at such a big stadium. It is unusual, to experience this eerie silence,” said the Asian Games silver-medallist in 100m and 200m.

Another top athlete from the state, sprinter Amiya Kumar Mallick also trains at the stadium but only after Dutee ends her daily stint. This has been done to avoid simultaneous training of two athletes.

“I start training at 6 am and wind up at 8am. He comes just before 8 am. So, we hardly train together. In the evening, I do another one-hour training from 7 pm,” said the 100m national record holder.

The reigning World University Games champion said as of now she is loosening up the muscles which were tightened by the confinement of the two months. She said it will take some time to start full running on the 100m track.

“The muscles are tight now, so I am just loosening them up. I have to wake up my muscles. It will take at least two months to be in full speed,” she said.

“My coach (N Ramesh) is on video call during my training and he tells me what to do and I follow his instructions.

“The tougher training drills like 1km repeat run will take some time and I cannot do it soon. If I do that I will get injured. I have no coach and no physio with me, so I have to be careful.”

Her coach Ramesh is currently at his home in Hyderabad and he cannot be with Dutee due to the lockdown. She was earlier given a physiotherapist by the Odisha government but he has also returned to his home in Mizoram.

Her aim is to maintain a certain degree of fitness and form this season and plan some foreign training and competition stints next year to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

“I have started training but there is uncertainty all around. I will take part in the national events planned by the AFI in September-October. These events are also tentative.

“The Olympic qualification period is suspended till the end of this season and there is no point going all out. I want to qualify for the Olympics as soon as possible next year. After that, I want to do my best in the Games in Tokyo.”

Dutee holds the national record of 11:22 seconds in 100m while the Tokyo Olympics qualification time is 11:15 seconds.

New Delhi: An angry Harbhajan Singh called Shahid Afridi unworthy of his friendship, while Yuvraj Singh regretted his call for assistance to the Pakistani player’s charity, both former India players expressing disappointment at his anti-India comments. Last month, Harbhajan and Yuvraj had posted videos in support of ‘Shahid Afridi Foundation’ which was raising funds for […]

New Delhi: An angry Harbhajan Singh called Shahid Afridi unworthy of his friendship, while Yuvraj Singh regretted his call for assistance to the Pakistani player’s charity, both former India players expressing disappointment at his anti-India comments.

Last month, Harbhajan and Yuvraj had posted videos in support of ‘Shahid Afridi Foundation’ which was raising funds for the underprivileged affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

Harbhajan also said that he would have ‘no relation or tie-up with Afridi from here on’.

“This is very upsetting what Shahid Afridi has come up with, talking ill about our country and our Prime Minister. This is just not acceptable,” Harbhajan told India Today show Sports Tak.

“To be honest, he (Afridi) asked us to make an appeal for his charity. In good faith, we did it for humanity and for the people suffering due to the coronavirus,” said Harbhajan.

“Really disappointed by @SAfridiOfficial’s comments on our Hon’b PM @narendramodi ji. As a responsible Indian who has played for the country, I will never accept such words. I made an appeal on your behest for the sake of humanity. But never again,” he said.

Really disappointed by @SAfridiOfficial‘s comments on our Hon’b PM @narendramodi ji. As a responsible Indian who has played for the country, I will never accept such words. I made an appeal on your behest for the sake of humanity. But never again.

Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh’s friendship goes a long way. The ‘little master’ has been an inspiration for generations together from Virendra Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh to Virat Kohli. When Yuvi was the rising star Sachin had already established his name in the world of international cricket. Over the years the duo has developed a cherished […]

Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh’s friendship goes a long way. The ‘little master’ has been an inspiration for generations together from Virendra Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh to Virat Kohli. When Yuvi was the rising star Sachin had already established his name in the world of international cricket. Over the years the duo has developed a cherished friendship.

Very few people know that Yuvraj was already suffering from health issues during the World Cup 2011 but he continued batting only to make sure that the dream of India and his idol come true. It was India’s win in 1983 World Cup that inspired Sachin Tendulkar to become a cricketer and his sole aim was to hold that cup once in his life as a part of the winning team.

Yuvraj Wanted To Fulfill Sachin’s Dream

Even after playing for more than two decades, the dream of Sachin was still to come true. The legendary batsman had decided to take retirement from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup and somehow had come to terms that his dream will not be fulfilled. But Yuvraj Singh batted like a gem throughout the world cup despite the symptoms of cell cancer and ensured that Sachin Tendulkar did hold that coveted tournament cup in his hand.

While Sachin visited Yuvraj when he was recuperating abroad, Yuvraj too kept a watch on the way the little master was playing and even lamented on missing Sachin’s 100th International century. Over the years, their friendship, interviews, and exchanges have given a glimpse of how strong the two Indian cricketers have bonded with each other.

Sachin Gives A Twist To Yuvi’s Challenge

Now that everyone is forced to stay at home amid lockdown, the exchanges are restricted to digital media with almost all the celebs doing interviews and throwing challenges at each other on social media. Recently the southpaw threw a challenge to Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, and Harbhajan Singh asking them to use the side of the cricket bat to juggle cricket ball. Tendulkar was the first one to not only fulfill the challenge but also forwarded it back to Yuvi albeit with a twist.

In the video, Sachin can be seen fulfilling the challenge of Yuvraj Singh blindfolded and asked Yuvi to do the same. In his post, Sachin wrote, “I am challenging you back @yuvisofficial, but this time with a twist!! All I can ask everyone to do is take care and stay safe!” In the video, the master blaster says, “Yuvi, you had given me a very easy option. So now I am giving you a difficult option. I am nominating you, my friend, come on do it for me buddy.”

This new challenge has bowled even an established batsman like Yuvraj Singh who wrote in response, “I knew I challenged the wrong legend! This might take a week il try.” Hopefully, fans will get to see Yuvraj fulfilling the challenge in the coming week.

New Delhi: Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh joined his former teammate Harbhajan Singh in hitting out at former India head coach Greg Chappell. Harbhajan had earlier referred to Chappell’s time with Team India as ‘worst days of Indian cricket’ following the latter’s remark on former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It all started with Harbhajan taking […]

New Delhi: Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh joined his former teammate Harbhajan Singh in hitting out at former India head coach Greg Chappell. Harbhajan had earlier referred to Chappell’s time with Team India as ‘worst days of Indian cricket’ following the latter’s remark on former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

It all started with Harbhajan taking note of an article on Dhoni where Chappell is quoted as saying that he used to advice the Ranchi wicket-keeper to play along the ground more instead of trying to hit every ball to the boundary.

Harbhajan’s post read: “He asked Dhoni to play along the ground coz coach was hitting everyone out the park. He was playing different games. #worstdaysofindiancricketundergreg.”

Chappell was coach of the Indian team for two controversy-riddled years between 2005 and 2007 in which he clashed with several senior members of the team, especially then-captain and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly.

His time, however, was also known for the rise of several younger players in the squad including Dhoni and Suresh Raina.

“I vividly remember that I was left awestruck when I saw him (Dhoni) batting for the first time. He was definitely the most exciting cricketer in India at that time. He used to hit the ball from the most unusual positions. He is the most powerful batsman I have ever seen,” said Chappell during a chat session on the Facebook handle of the Playwrite Foundation.

“I remember his knock of 183 against Sri Lanka and how he tore them apart. It was power hitting at its very best. The next match was in Pune. I asked MS, ‘why don’t you play along the ground more instead of trying to hit every ball to the boundary’. We were chasing 260 odd and were in a good position and Dhoni was playing a contrasting inning to the one he had played just a couple of days before.

“We still needed 20 runs to win and Dhoni asked me, through 12th man RP Singh if he could hit sixes. I told him not until the target was in single digit. When we needed six runs to win, he finished the game with a six,” he said.

Yuvraj Singh is a legend in the world of cricket. From his stylish left-handed batting to hitting 6 sixes in a row, the cricketer had his ways of making people love him, winning matches for India and also staying in limelight for his associations with Bollywood celebrities. Post announcing his retirement from the Indian cricket, […]

Yuvraj Singh is a legend in the world of cricket. From his stylish left-handed batting to hitting 6 sixes in a row, the cricketer had his ways of making people love him, winning matches for India and also staying in limelight for his associations with Bollywood celebrities. Post announcing his retirement from the Indian cricket, there has not been much buzz about what exactly he intends to do with his time in the coming days.

During an interview recently he spilled all the beans and made fans wonder as to in which role they would love to see him as – an actor or as a coach?

Yuvraj Singh’s Future Plans

Yuvraj revealed to Nikhil Naz during the interview that after playing cricket for around 25 to 30 years he is now on a break and wants to relax for a while before deciding his further course of action. When coaxed regarding making a debut as an actor as his father and wife already are actors, Yuvi said that he may think of giving it a try. He also revealed that he loved the actor who did his role in the biopic movie based on Dhoni’s life but did not like the way he batted.

The cricketer also made a shocking revelation that the functioning of Kings XI Punjab helmed by Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia was not to his liking and he was unhappy with the franchise during his association with them for 2008, 2009 and 2010 IPL seasons. Yuvi said, “I wanted to run away from Kings XI Punjab … the management didn’t like me there … they did nothing I asked them to do … and when I left they bought all the players I had been asking them to. I love Punjab but I did not like the running of the franchise.”

Would Yuvraj Singh Like To Become A Coach Or A Commentator?

On following the footsteps of some of his fellow cricketers of becoming a commentator, the star batsman believes that doing commentary is not his forte and he would rather take up as a coach. He appreciated the role of Gary Kirsten as the coach of the Indian team and how he helped Zahir Khan get back on track after a bad spell in bowling.

The famous cricketer at length discussed how a current lot of Indian cricketers should be trained and believes that the team needs a psychiatrist who can tune in the minds of the young players according to the need of the game. If he is given the chance to coach the Indian team, Yuvi would like to treat each player according to the player’s temperament. He believes that the current lot of Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya is very talented and hence their talent should be treated accordingly.

So if Yuvi becomes the coach he would ask Jasprit Bumrah to go to sleep at 9 PM whereas would ask Hardik Pandya to accompany him for a drink. He even questioned the dropping of an experienced Ambati Rayudu from the world cup team and instead of picking up players having experience of playing only 4 to 5 international matches in the middle order.

New Delhi: Team India’s journey to the final of the Women’s World T20 in March in Australia was on the back of some quality performances by the whole team. But a few players who stood out were Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey and Deepti Sharma. And Shikha and Deepti’s names have been suggested by […]

New Delhi: Team India’s journey to the final of the Women’s World T20 in March in Australia was on the back of some quality performances by the whole team. But a few players who stood out were Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey and Deepti Sharma. And Shikha and Deepti’s names have been suggested by BCCIs Cricket Operations team for this years Arjuna Awards.

Speaking to IANS, sources in the know of developments said that Shikha and Deepti’s performance in the World T20 as well as in the last year saw their names being forwarded to the office-bearers for recommendation for the prestigious awards.

“Yes, the office-bearers were given the names of Shikha and Deepti by the cricket operations team for not just their brilliant show in the World T20 in Australia where we finished as runners-up, but also for their consistent show in the last season. These two names have been forwarded to the office-bearers and are likely to be forwarded to the ministry for the Arjuna Awards once they approve,” the source said.

If Shafali showed the way with the bat in the showpiece event, scoring 163 runs in 5 games at a strike-rate of 158.25, Shikha picked seven wickets from five games with best figures of 3/14. Deepti played an all-round role in the tournament and was instrumental in India beating ultimate champions Australia in the opening game of the competition with her knock of unbeaten 49 in the lower half of the innings. She finished with 116 runs in the tournament.

Shikha interestingly is also a part of the Indian Air Force. “I’ve done engineering, and I’m an officer in the Indian Air Force. I joined the Air Force in 2012, and I took my training as well, and now I happen to be a flying officer, ATC officer. Then in 2014, I debuted for the Indian cricket team,” Shikha had revealed during the World T20.

The Sports Ministry on May 5 invited nominations for the 2020 National Sports Awards including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and the Arjuna Award. The ministry asked for nominations to be sent via e-mail in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The process, which usually starts in April, has been delayed due to the pandemic. “Due to lockdown on account of the outbreak of COVID-19, hard copies of nominations are not required to be sent. Scanned copies of the nominations duly signed by the applicant/recommending authority may be sent at above mentioned email ids, before last date of submission,” said the ministry in its circular.

New Delhi: Tennis star Sania Mirza created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Fed Cup Heart Award. Sania was the nominee for the award from the Asia/Oceania Zone alongwith Indonesia’s Priska Madelyn Nugroho. “It’s an honour to win the Fed Cup Heart Award as the first Indian,” said Sania in a statement. […]

New Delhi: Tennis star Sania Mirza created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Fed Cup Heart Award. Sania was the nominee for the award from the Asia/Oceania Zone alongwith Indonesia’s Priska Madelyn Nugroho.

“It’s an honour to win the Fed Cup Heart Award as the first Indian,” said Sania in a statement. “I dedicate this award to the entire country and to all my fans and thank everyone for voting for me. I hope to bring more laurels to the country in the future.”

It’s an honor to win the Fed cup Heart award as the first Indian and first person from the subcontinent.this award is for the entire country and to all my fans and thank everyone for the votes .❤️ @FedCup@AITA__Tennispic.twitter.com/8L6HHCTpPd

Sania played an integral role in India securing a first-ever place in the Fed Cup playoffs. She won the decisive doubles match that helped India secure their win over Indonesia in their final Group 1 match and they finished second in the group.

After giving birth to her son Izhaan in October 2018, Sania returned to the court in January this year. She clinched the women’s doubles title at Hobart International, pairing up with Nadiia Kichenok, in her comeback competition.

Along with Sania, Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova won the Qualifiers award for her win against 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams with Mexico’s Fernanda Contreras Gomez and Estonian Anett Kontaveit being the other zone winners.

New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) might be keeping its fingers crossed when it comes to answering queries on the fate of the T20 World Cup slated to be held in Australia in October-November (due to the coronavirus outbreak), but cricketers dont seem that confident when it comes to the mega event going ahead […]

New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) might be keeping its fingers crossed when it comes to answering queries on the fate of the T20 World Cup slated to be held in Australia in October-November (due to the coronavirus outbreak), but cricketers dont seem that confident when it comes to the mega event going ahead as per schedule.

Speaking to IANS, an ICC official kept it short and said that no meeting has taken place between the international body and Cricket Australia over the last week and contingency planning continues.

“There has been no meeting (in the last week) and there is no update. Contingency planning continues,” the official said.

But over the last couple of months, the cricketers have made it quite evident that the World T20 might have to be postponed keeping an eye on the magnitude of the event and also how social distancing norms need to be strictly followed in the near future amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Australia opener David Warner shared his thoughts with Rohit Sharma while interacting in an Instagram live chat last week and said: “The ICC World Cup will not go ahead here by the looks of it. It will be difficult to get everyone (16 teams) together.”

Australia’s limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch too feels the tournament might have to be delayed. “I think we might have to get our heads around a T20 World Cup that might be postponed for a month, two months, three months, whatever it has to be,” Finch told SEN Radio.

Australia batsman Chris Lynn feels that the situation could be a logistical nightmare if the tournament happens as per schedule. “My personal opinion is no,” Lynn told Fox Sports.

“Obviously we’re praying for it to go ahead but we’ve just got to play what’s in front of us. Having teams come from all over the world is going to be a logistical nightmare.

“Hotels, travel, keeping the teams in the hotels for a number of weeks before the tournament is going to be tough work moving forward,” he added.

Some other players have also spoken about the fans and how having a T20 World Cup in front of empty stands wouldn’t be the best way forward.

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell feels that crowds are an integral part of the showpiece event. “… it’s going to be hard for us to have crowds. I think if IPL goes ahead they can probably survive without any crowds, but I can’t see the T20 World Cup surviving without any people there,” Maxwell told ABC Grandstand.

“It’s going to be hard for us to justify having a World Cup when we can’t get people into the grounds. So I can’t see it happening in the near future. We’ve got to take care of everyone’s health and wellbeing.”

Pakistan batsman Imam-ul-Haq also said that he would like to have fans around while playing a showpiece event. “I personally feel T20 World Cup, if it happens, should take place with crowds as its charm is something else for players and everyone involved,” he pointed.

A BCCI official told IANS that opening the games to fans and still being able to maintain social distancing norms could be a major concern for Cricket Australia.

“With the conditioning that everyone is going through at the moment, would the fans want to gather in a stadium at this stage? Or would the tickets of only one out of 10 seats be made available to keep a semblance of social distancing norms in place?” the official enquired.

Mumbai: India skipper Virat Kohli on Sunday changed his display picture on popular social media platform Twitter as a tribute to Maharashtra police. Kohli stated that the police personnel have always been there for civilians during tough times and as a mark of paying respect, he decided to change his profile picture. Maharashtra Police has […]

Mumbai: India skipper Virat Kohli on Sunday changed his display picture on popular social media platform Twitter as a tribute to Maharashtra police.

Kohli stated that the police personnel have always been there for civilians during tough times and as a mark of paying respect, he decided to change his profile picture.

Maharashtra Police has stood by citizens through calamities, attacks & disasters. Today as they lead the war against Corona on the streets, I’ve decided to celebrate them by changing my DP here on Twitter to the Maharashtra Police logo. Join me in this endeavour. ??

He used the logo of Maharashtra police as his display picture and also urged his followers to ‘join him in his endeavour’.

Kohli’s post read: “Maharashtra police has stood by citizens through calamities, attacks and disasters. Today as they lead war against coronavirus on the streets, I have decided to celebrate them by changing by DP here on Twitter to Maharashtra police logo. Join me in this endeavour.”

This is not the first time Kohli has expressed his gratitude for the police force as earlier, he alongwith actress wife Anushka Sharma, contributed Rs 5 lakh each towards Mumbai Police welfare.

Taking to Twitter, Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh wrote: “Thank you, @imVkohli and @AnushkaSharma for contributing Rs 5 lacs each towards the welfare of Mumbai Police personnel. Your contribution will safeguard those at the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus. #MumbaiPoliceFoundation.”

Thank you, @imVkohli and @AnushkaSharma for contributing Rs. 5 lacs each towards the welfare of Mumbai Police personnel.
Your contribution will safeguard those at the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus.#MumbaiPoliceFoundation

In normal circumstances, Kohli would have been currently playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but due to COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was postponed indefinitely by the BCCI.

Chennai: India continued their shoddy show losing 1.5.-2.5 to title contenders and top seed China in the ninth round of FIDE-Chess.com Online Nations Cup on Saturday. With former world champion Viswanathan Anand resting, the Indian team managed to hold their own against the favourites before Yu Yangyi subdued B Adhiban with black pieces to secure […]

Chennai: India continued their shoddy show losing 1.5.-2.5 to title contenders and top seed China in the ninth round of FIDE-Chess.com Online Nations Cup on Saturday. With former world champion Viswanathan Anand resting, the Indian team managed to hold their own against the favourites before Yu Yangyi subdued B Adhiban with black pieces to secure another victory in the tournament.

Vidit Gujrathi (Elo 2636), playing on the top board, held higher-ranked Wang Hao (Elo 2750) to a draw.

GM P Harikrishna, playing with black pieces, forced a draw against Wei Yi and D Harika shared the honours against the formidable Hou Yifan.

China, which has sealed its spot in Sunday’s “Super Final” leads the points table with 17 match points and 24 board points. Europe which is placed second will reach the summit clash if they can beat Rest of the World in the 10th and final round later in the day.

India, placed fifth after nine rounds with 5 match points and 16 board points, Russia and Rest of the World are out of contention for the “Super Final”.

The event follows the double round-robin format, with the two leading teams battling for the title in the “Super Final”.

In the other ninth round matches, Europe defeated USA 2.5-1.5 thanks a win by Nana Dzagnidze after three other games ended in draws, while Russia and Rest of the World settled for a 2-2 result.

All matches involve four boards – represented by three men and a woman player. The rapid time-control is 25-minute plus 10-second increment per move.

India played out a 2-2 draw against Europe in Online Nations Cup chess tournament in the eighth round, a setback after their first win in the event notched up against the Rest of the World.

Vidith Gujrathi ended his barren spell with a win over Levon Aronian of Europe with white pieces while Jan-Krystozf Duda beat P Harikrishna to level the scores in the match on Friday.

Former world champion Viswanathan Anand and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played out a 60-move draw while the game between world rapid champion Koneru Humpy and Anna Muzychuk too ended in a stalemate to end the match on 2-2 draw.

Earlier in the seventh round match, Anand and Harikrishna won their respective matches to help India beat Rest of the World and post their first win in the tournament.

Anand beat Teimour Radjabov in 37 moves to help India win 2.5-1.5 score. The Indian had posted his maiden win in the tournament on Thursday by thrashing Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi in just 17 moves.

Harikrishna posted his first win after four draws and a loss — to Vladislav Artemiev on Thursday — by defeating Jorgi Cori.

Earlier today, India number 2 Vidit Gujrathi’s struggles, however, continued as he went down to the talented Alireza Firouzja for Rest of the World. It was his fourth loss in the tournament so far.

D Harika and Mariya Muzychuk settled for a draw as India posted a much-needed win.

India had drawn with Russia and lost to USA on Thursday.

The event follows the double round-robin format, with the two leading teams battling for the title in the “Super Final”.

All matches involve four boards — represented by three men and a woman player. The rapid time-control is 25-minute plus 10-second increment per move.

Lausanne (Switzerland): World Archery released its updated qualification procedures for the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. It confirmed in its statement that no further qualification events will take place this year. Furthermore, the period in which athletes can shoot minimum qualifying scores has been extended until June 28, 2021. “Continental qualification events in the Americas, […]

Lausanne (Switzerland): World Archery released its updated qualification procedures for the postponed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. It confirmed in its statement that no further qualification events will take place this year. Furthermore, the period in which athletes can shoot minimum qualifying scores has been extended until June 28, 2021.

“Continental qualification events in the Americas, Europe and Oceania are delayed until spring/summer 2021,” said World Archery. “The final qualification tournament is delayed until summer 2021 and is planned to take place as a separate tournament alongside the Paris stage of the 2021 Archery World Cup.”

World Archery also said that National Olympic Committees (NOC) will retain quotas that have been won thus far by athletes in competitions. Eighty-seven of the 128 quota places for the Olympics have already been awarded. Ninety-three of the 140 spots for the Paralympics have been distributed to date.

The deadline for NOCs to confirm places won at all events except the final qualifier is tentatively set as June 1, 2021 and for the final qualifier “is tentatively set as July 2, 2021.”

“The entry deadline for the Olympic Games is 5 July 2021,” it added.

The procedures were initially released in March 2018 but had to be updated after the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics due to the coronavirus pandemic. Originally set to be held from July 24 to August 9, 2020, the Games will now be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021.

Kenya Olympic Body Turns To Online Conferencing

As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to ground sporting activity around the world, the National Olympic Committee-Kenya (NOCK) has turned to online conferencing to keep in touch with athletes during this crisis period.

“We are in a different territory that we have never been before. This pandemic has hit us hard and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. As NOCK, our aim is to keep in touch with our sportsmen and women and give them the necessary advice through our experts,” Tergat said in Nairobi on Friday.

The NOCK chief said the umbrella body of federations in Kenya will seek collaboration with the government through the Ministry of Sports and other corporations to help out vulnerable athletes whose income depends on sports.

Amina Mohamed, Cabinet Secretary for Sports, on Friday signed off on trucks with food donated by a private firm to be delivered to athletes in need to supplement the relief funds rolled out by World Athletics last week.

Since the pandemic hit Kenya, the government has suspended all public gatherings, affecting hundreds of athletes with training camps closed.

During the same conference, local tennis coach Rosemary Owino challenged athletes to observe discipline while undergoing individual training.

“It’s okay to be stressed, get negative, but most important is to curb it and build on it. Discipline levels of the athletes are highly tested at the moment and this includes whether they are able to train on their own without being followed,” Kenya’s Davis Cup team coach Owino added.